The African Airlines Association, in partnership with founding African Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) providers – Ethiopian MRO, EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering, Kenya Airways MRO and South African Airways Technical – held the inaugural African MRO Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 29 to 31 March 2026.
Held under the theme “Building Africa’s Sustainable MRO Ecosystem,” the event brought together over 450 high-level delegates from more than 50 countries, including airline executives, MRO leaders, OEMs, regulators and technology providers. The gathering highlighted both the urgency and the opportunity to transform Africa’s aviation maintenance landscape.
The event marked a significant milestone in Africa’s journey towards building a more resilient, competitive and sustainable aviation maintenance ecosystem.
Mr. Moosa Desai, Chairperson of the AFRAA MRO Steering Committee and Acting Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways Technical, stated:
“This AFRAA-led MRO initiative seeks to strengthen and unify Africa’s MRO sector. By promoting collaboration, standardising procedures, and sharing expertise and capabilities across the continent, it lays a foundation for sustainable growth and enhances the global competitiveness of African MROs. This initiative is vital for skills development, supplier alignment, and long-term resilience in Africa’s aviation maintenance industry. Since the Steering Committee’s inception, engagement has increased, thereby expanding these efforts as we progress.”
As a platform for engagement, the AFRAA MRO event enabled stakeholders to share experiences, learn from one another, and begin shaping African-led approaches to the challenges facing the sector, with a focus on collaboration, practical solutions, and long-term capability and sustainability.
Keep an eye out on the AFRAA website for details on the 2027 MRO event: https://www.afraa.org/
